Method for treating tobacco



Sept. 4, 1951 I, R TQUTQN 2,566,589

METHOD FOR TREATING TOBACCO Filed Dec. 30, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 4, 1951 R D. TOUTQN 7 2,566,589

Y METHOD FOR TREATING TOBACCO Filed Dec. 30, 1944 i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A 2. ma n dawn;

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Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHDD FOR TREATING TOBACCO Application December 30, 1944, Serial No. 570,666

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a method for treating tobacco and, more particularly, for the moistening of tobacco in connection with its preparation for the manufacture of, forexample, cigars.

In preparing tobacco for manufacture, it is necessary that it be moistened in order that it will be pliable so that it may be worked and in order to control and adjust its flavor. As is well known, it is of importance that in the moistening of tobacco the tobacco be uniformly moistened and that the final moisture content be closely controlled.

Heretofore various procedures for the moistening of tobacco have been followed and various apparatus has been developed. for handling and manipulating the tobacco leaves made up into hands during the moistening treatment. The procedures and apparatus heretofore developed have proved generally satisfactory, except that depending upon the application to the tobacco of conditioned air as the source of moisture, they have required considerable time for obtaining of the desired result, especially where the tobacco is treated in hands and is initially in a substantially dry state, for example, as originally removed from the case. Thus, the treatment with conditioned air, as heretofore, effects the mois=- tening of the outside leaves of the hands more rapidly than the inside leaves, due to the fact that initially the air does not enter the interior of the hands, because of the adherence of the tobacco leaves, and the treatment must be con tinued, with manipulation of the hands until they are fully opened up and the interior leaves are brought to desired moisture content.

Now in accordance with this invention there is provided a method for the moistening of tobacco which will be effective to bring the tobacco, treated in hands, to a uniform moisture content more rapidly and with greater efiiciency of control than heretofore.

More specifically according to this invention, tobacco in hands will be supported on a moving conveyor comprising two pairs of chains and periodically subjected to jets of conditioned air, directed to open up and manipulate the hands, and additionally fine sprays of water will be directed at the hands for the addition thereto of line particles of water. More particularly, the sprays will be directed at the median, as compared with the tip or butt, portions of the leaves forming the hands.

Having now indicated, in a general way, the nature and purpose of this invention, I will proceed to a detailed description of preferred procedure and of a preferred form of apparatus, all with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a form of apparatus adapted for the carrying out of the method of the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, with the upper conveyor chain as shown in Figure 1 omitted for clarity, showing indications of the course of hands of tobacco, supported in the apparatus, with reference to air jets and water sprays.

Figure 3 is a partial sectional view taken on 1 line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view taken on the trace 4-4 in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a partial sectional view taken on line 5-5 in Figure 4.

In the several figures parallel pairs of endless chains l, l' and 2, 2' extend about suitable sprockets a, one of which for each of the chains is driven. The lower reach of the upper chains I and l of the pairs lies on and travels with the upper reach of the lower chains 2, 2' of the pairs.

The reaches of the lower chains 2, 2 are sup-' ported through the extent of the overlie of the lower reaches of the upper chains by means of supports 6, 6'. The lower chains 2, 2' extend beyond the sprockets about which the upper chains l, I extend and between the lower chains 2, 2'. At one end of the apparatus is an endless belt 3 extending about a pair of rollers 4, one of which is driven. Extending between the upper chains I, I are rods 9, and extending between the chains and attached to the rods is a flexible for-aminous strip or screen 5 which extends throughout the length of the chamber.

The structure so far described is shown, for ex-= ample, in the U. 5. Patent No. 2,334,362 to R. D. Touton issued November 16, 1943, and comprises a conveyor for tobacco hands, it being noted that tobacco hands a: are laid in opposite extension on the belt 3 with their butts extending beyond the edges of the belt. The belt 3 carries the hands for entry of the butts between the upper reaches of the lower chains and the overlying lower reaches of the upper chains, which, in the travel of the chains, grip the butts between them, for the support and conveyance of the hands in opposite extension between the pairs of chains and beneath the foraminous strip 5.

Beneath the pairs of chains respectively, serving as a conveyor, as described, are nozzles I, 1 arranged in spaced relation in the direction of travel of the conveyor and in staggered relation I from side to side.

The nozzles I, l are connected to an air box I5, or to any suitable duct system, supplied from any suitable source with air conditioned as to moisture and temperature and under pressure.

The nozzles 1, 1 open to discharge jets of air.

upwardly at an angle toward tobacco supported on the conveyor, as shown, for example, in Figures 3 and 5.

At the sides of each of the nozzles 1, 1 and adjacent to the outlets therefrom are spray heads 8, 8 directed to deliver a fine spray of water upwardly at an angle. The spray heads 8, 8 will desirably be positioned somewhat beyond the outlets of the nozzles I, l. The spray heads 8, 8 may have an orifice size of about .015 inch in diameter and will be supplied with water under a suficient pressure to produce a mist.

Between the pairs of chains forming the conveyor additional Spray heads 8', similar to spray heads 8; will be positioned and directed to discharge between nozzles i, i.

For the supply of water under pressure to the several spray heads 8, S, for example, piping 9, connected to and serving to support the spray heads may be provided; and the piping supplied with water from a pump l0, operated by an electric motor I I under control of a manually operated switch I! and a relay [3. A safety valve 14 may be placed in the piping 9.

In proceeding to carry out the method according to this invention with use of the apparatus abovedescribed, hands of tobacco will be placed on belt 3 and by it fed to the conveyor comprising the pairs of chains I, i' and 2, 2. At the same time, conditioned air under pressure will be delivered from nozzles 1 and by operation of pump 10 fine mists or sprays of water will be de= livered from'spray heads Band 8.

In the travel of the conveyor, the hands of tobacco will be passed through the jets of air from the spray nozzles l, 1, which will blow the leaves up'toward the foraminous strip 5, and exfoliate them. The foraminous strip 5 will prevent the leaves from being blown over the chains forming the conveyor. On passing out of the influence of the jets, the leaves will fall down under the influence of gravity, so that in passing into and out of the influence of the successive jets the leaves will be alternately down and blown up and the tips of theleaves will follow the path indicated by the broken lines y-y, Figure 2, which, it will be noted, is in the form of a curve as the leaves enter and leave the area of influence of the jets from nozzles" l, as indicated at 2, Figure 2.

As now the leaves enter and leave the area of the jets, as indicated at a, Figure 2, the spray heads 8 adjacent to the outlets from the nozzles 1, will deliver a fine mist or spray of water between and upon the median portion of the leaves, indicated by broken line a-a, Figure 5, as they are being exfoliated. And again, as the leaves fall together as they pass out of the influence oi. the jets from nozzles 1 a fine mist or spray of water will be delivered from the spray heads 8' oppositely at their median portions indicated by lines bb, Figure 3.

As will now be clear, the tobacco in hands is subjected to successive jets of conditioned air, which acts to open up the hands and exfoliate the leaves and, at the same time, as the hands come into and leave the jets of air a fine mist or spray of water is directed between and on the median portion of the leaves and a similar fine mist or spray of water is directed at the median portion of the leaves as they fall together between the Jets of'air from nozzles 7, l.

The fine mist or spray of water acts to deposit on the surface of the leaves minute particles of water which are readily and uniformly absorbed and the absorption of which is promoted by the jets of conditioned air which itself supplies moisture to the leaves. The spray or mist of water increases the moistening potential of the air from nozzles I, I and compensates for the heat of wetting and the work of condensation of moisture from the air. To facilitate control of the moistening potential the temperature of the water will desirably be regulated to within about the range 60 F'.-110 F. The spray or mist supplies free moisture to the median portions of the leaves which is entrapped when the leaves fall together between nozzles i, I and hence is absorbed more readily and creates between the leaves an atmosphere of higher vapor pressure (absolute humidity) than the air streams from nozzles 1, 1, which serve to open or exfoliate the leaves.

It will be appreciated that if desired flavors and/or curing reagents may be added to the water used for moistening the tobacco. Likewise, if desired, a wetting or moisture-retaining agent, as, for example, glycerine, may be added to the water.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the apparatus described above is for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications in detail may be made in it, as well as in the procedure involving its use in carrying out the method of this invention, without departing from the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim andv desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of moistening tobacco with moistening liquid whichv includes subjectingtobacco leaves, in hands secured by their butts only to a traveling conveyor with the leaf portion of the hands being free and extending laterally of the conveyor, to a spray of liquid only, immediately thereafter to a mixture of air and liquid in spray form, immediately thereafter to a blast of air under pressure and conditioned as to moisture and temperature, immediately there'- after to a mixture of air and liquid in spray form, and immediately thereafter to a spray of liquid only.

2. The method of moistening tobacco with moistening liquid which includes subjecting tobacco leaves in hands, secured by their butts only to a traveling conveyor with the leaf portion of the hands being. free and extending laterally of the conveyor, to successive areas of treatment each comprising a spray ofliquid only, immediately thereafter a mixture of air and liquid in spray form, immediately thereafter a blast of air under pressure and conditioned as to moisture and temperature, immediately thereafter a mixture of air and liquid in spray form and imme-- diately thereafter a spray of liquid only, and to a spray of liquid applied to the sides of the hands during the movements of the hands between the areas, said last mentioned spray being applied opposite those sides of the hands directly treated by the first mentioned sprays.

RUSH D. TOUTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

